by Jim Bellomo | Feb 23, 2025 | Photography
Here are seven more shots from this week for all of you who are skipping the daily upload. Hope you enjoy them! Remember, don’t forget: if you click on the first shot, you can scroll through with your arrow keys or by swiping. I almost forgot. I’m going to start naming my favorite and least favorite shots of the week. This week, my favorite photograph is the night shot from Bellingham. I love the light I captured. My least favorite is the photo from today of Keeley under a blanket. I really didn’t have enough light to get the shot I wanted.
We’re starting and ending the week with Keeley’s pictures. We shared one at the beginning of the week because she looked so adorable while being fed, but today’s photo focuses more on yesterday. When Keeley travels, she feels excited (and a bit anxious), which makes her pretty hyper while we’re away. Once she’s home, she collapses and sleeps through just about anything (except when I’m rattling her treat container ?). That was the case today. She was so exhausted that when the blanket on the couch fell over her head, she didn’t even bother to move.
Tonight, we are in Bellingham, Washington, which is about 90 minutes north of our home. We came up to meet our forever neighbors, Jayesh and Lisa, to see “An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes and The Princess Bride.” Jayesh and I share a passion for the movie The Princess Bride, and we were thrilled to see the film in a theater (which is unusual for a 35-year-old film) and then participate in a Q&A with Cary Elwes, who played Wesley. Afterward, we went to dinner, and when we returned to the AirBnB where we had left Keeley, I realized I had forgotten to take a photo. So, I went for a short walk and captured this shot, which was much better than I deserved. I love the shot—it’s all about the light.
This year, in my 365, I haven’t done any street photography. So, I remedied that today in downtown Redmond. This friendly gentleman was walking down the street with his umbrella and phone. It’s unusual because not many of us in the Seattle area use umbrellas. I do carry a big one like this when I take long walks on rainy days.
I have been searching for ideas for what to shoot in this 365 project. Yesterday, I came across something from DPS (Digital Photography School) that suggested incorporating a piece of your camera’s tech that you don’t use often as part of the project. Another article recommended using equipment you typically overlook. A third article proposed various types of self-portraits. I combined all three ideas and created a self-portrait using my tripod (which I rarely use) and some of my camera’s technology by utilizing Nikon’s SnapBridge app to remotely snap the shutter. I’m pleased to be relearning how to use SnapBridge, and it was great to reconnect with my old tripod. Regarding the self-portrait, I have no comment except to say, “Man, am I old!”
This morning, I was watching a fantastic photography course online from Kelby One. Scott Kelby (my favorite photography teacher) was conducting a class titled “10 Things I Wish I Knew Sooner.” The first point he made was, “Nailing the technical aspect of a photo is not enough.” He presented some amazing photos of flowers that resembled this one, but vibrant spring flowers rather than this wilted hydrangea. His argument was that you need a beautiful flower. You can master all the techniques in the world, but if you have a mediocre flower, your photo won’t stand out. I wondered, what about a dead flower? That could move beyond the technical, in the opposite direction.
Back in 2002, we embarked on our first international trip to Europe. Our initial stop was Venice, which felt magical. To remember this wonderful city and the enchantment of Italy, we purchased a full-size Venetian Carnivale mask. It has hung on the Italian wall in our home ever since. It’s a beautiful piece of art—completely made of leather.
Want to see what waiting looks like? This is it. Every time Keeley gets fed, Kathleen sets her bowl down, and she waits until Kathleen gives her the go-ahead before she touches it. As much as I would love to say we taught her this, it’s something she has done since before we adopted her.
In a world and a life that moves so fast, photography just makes the sound go out and it makes you stop and take a pause. Photography calms me. —Drew Barrymore.
by Jim Bellomo | Feb 16, 2025 | Photography
Well, we have reached the end of week six. It’s been a month and a half. This week was significant and busy. The snow has stayed with us until today, and I spent much of the week preparing for our Travel Club Annual banquet, which took place last Thursday. Today, we went to Olympia for our grandson’s 14th birthday. And yet, here’s this week’s album. Enjoy. Don’t forget: if you click the first shot, you can scroll through with your arrow keys or by swiping. Alternatively, you can return every day to see them on the page labels 365 above in the menu bar.
We drove to Olympia today to celebrate our grandson’s 14th birthday. The family has a pond behind their house, and today, a striking blue heron graced the pond. I took some posed photos, but I wish I had captured the heron in flight. I did get some shots of it in flight, but they weren’t as good as I would have liked, so you get this one instead.
I used to play chess all the time when I was in high school and college, but I haven’t played much since then. I tried teaching my grandson, but chess can’t compete with Fortnite. It’s just not exciting or fast-paced enough. However, I still have the board, and I thought it might make a nice capture for my macro 60mm.
In downtown Redmond, I found these chairs. They looked so sad yet so colorful. Colorful because they are, but sad because no one is sitting in them with all those colors. The reason? It’s freakin’ cold. The snow is finally melting, but it’s a different kind of cold. It’s a damp and foggy cold that I hate.
Tonight was our annual Trilogy Travel Club banquet. We had a fantastic time, and at the end of the night, we played an exciting game of Trilogy Travel Trivia. There were 25 fairly challenging questions, plus a couple of tie-breakers. I took some photos while the answers were being read, and this was a good friend (and my predecessor as club president) who looked perplexed by one of the answers.
We rarely see decent sunsets where we live. There are too many trees, and we aren’t up high. But tonight’s sunset was beautiful, especially the clouds. My best buddy in Canada always teases me because I love taking pictures of clouds, while he prefers a perfectly clear sky. I believe clouds add character to the sky. I wish this one had more pink, but I still like it, especially with the silhouette of the trees at the bottom.
When I looked back at last week’s photos, I realized I hadn’t posted one of Keeley. So here, tonight, is our favorite dog, who we’ve had for more than a month. She is settling in so well. We actually had guests on Sunday, and she handled it very well. Now, if we can get her to be friends with other dogs in a confined space, we’ll be all set.
One type of photo that I take a lot of is panoramas. I love capturing something that I can see, but my camera needs assistance to do so. I never take them with my iPhone, and this one is no exception. This photo was created using 12 individual images, which were then stitched together in Photoshop. I’ve been doing this kind of photography for years and one of my other panos I consider to be the second-best photo I’ve ever taken. This specific one was taken about a mile from our house on a golf course blanketed in snow. The sun was out, it was thirty degrees Fahrenheit, and it was just a glorious, albeit very cold, day.
When a moment in front of me appears to be particularly special, whether it be by beauty or experience, I capture it. I usually find a reason to justify taking that photo – symmetry, or color, or contrast – and it’s my hope that my photography sheds light onto what I see and do on a daily basis. —Connor Franta
by Jim Bellomo | Feb 9, 2025 | 365, Photography
Once again, my week in review. It was a pretty good week except for the snow. Don’t forget; if you click the first shot, you can scroll through with your arrow keys or by swiping. Or you can come back every day and see them on the page labels 365 above in the menu bar.
Those who know me well know how much I HATE snow. It limits me and throws me out of my routine. It may look pretty on the trees, but it means I can’t go walking, and it means I can’t even get out on the streets to get to the club to work out. I could walk outside, but three years ago, on a snowy driveway with ice under the snow, I fell on my back, and it has taken me until about six months ago not to hurt anymore. I just can’t take that chance again. So when it snows, I stay inside.
Okay, I still dislike snow. But when we woke up this morning, we discovered that the snow fairy had visited again during the night, though she was now gone. She left behind one of those incredible days with clear blue skies. Of course, I had to shovel the driveway, but the sky was so blue and the snow so beautiful that I couldn’t resist taking this shot from in front of our house. This is the view you would see if you were staying in our guest room. Enjoy!
We’ve received more snow—lots more snow… for us. For those of you in areas with regular snowfall, ours is nothing. However, being in the hills means that driving and even walking can be a challenge. When I got up at 4:30 am, the snow was coming down in buckets. I took this photo from our bedroom window, and I’ll let you figure out exactly what you’re seeing in my second monotone photo for this 365 project. PS: I love this shot because of the pattern the snow has accentuated.
Snow is dominating our lives right now. Yesterday, much of it melted, but last night, we received about eight more inches. Looking out from our guest room window at the snow, I spotted a bobcat walking through our yard—that was unexpected. I wish I had my camera, but we were on our way to bed, and I never anticipated seeing that. So, you get the next morning’s shot. This photo appealed to me because it captures the light on the snow more than the snow itself.
I was in downtown Redmond today looking for something to photograph and remembered this intriguing sculpture in front of Redmond’s City Hall. The reflection provided a nice bonus on a chilly afternoon when I just wanted to get back into my warm car.
I was out charging our EV today (our in-garage charger died last weekend), and I brought my camera along. I spotted these guys nearby and thought that since they were blackbirds, they might make a nice black-and-white photo. And they did.
Tonight’s photo features part of our family. We were celebrating the birthdays of the two on the left: my wife Kathleen’s daughter Michelle and her husband Brian. Besides being her daughter and son-in-law, they are also two of our best friends. On the other side of the table are my son Josh (who is one of my best friends) and another close friend of Michelle’s, Carrie, who has been joining us for special occasions. At the opposite end of the table sits the love of my wife, Kathleen. I rarely take family shots, but tonight was special. I spent the entire weekend cooking pizza from scratch, along with salad and a chocolate stout brownie sundae. We had a great time, and I like the photo, mainly for who is in it.
Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still. —Dorothea Lange
by Jim Bellomo | Feb 2, 2025 | 365, Photography
Here’s the week in review. Still going strong. Don’t forget; if you click the first shot, you can scroll through with your arrow keys or by swiping. Or you can come back every day and see them on the page labels 365 above in the menu bar.
You should be prepared that at least once a week, in this 365 project of mine, you will see at least one photo of Keeley. She has become the center of our lives as we adapt to her routines and she adapts to ours. There are moments when we can’t believe how quickly she has adjusted to us and we to her. She is truly a gift, and we already love her as if we’ve had her for her entire life. Based on the number of kisses we receive, we think she feels the same way.
Another attempt at a food photo. I decided to gather all the ingredients for tonight’s one-pan dish: sweet potato, black bean, and corn hash. It’s a vegan recipe; even though we aren’t vegan, we try to eat a lot less meat than we used to. It’s kind of a symptom of getting older. I shot my cutting board several times, but I didn’t capture the shot I wanted until I climbed up on a step stool to take it. That finally got me what I wanted.
I am always looking for something to shoot, especially this year while doing the 365 project. While driving home from my workout at our club, I passed by a golfer on the course that runs through Trilogy. He was searching through the rough for his ball, which made for a decent photo.
While searching for something to photograph, I came across this old, termite-ridden stump and immediately appreciated its appearance. The textures and shadows provide it with a rugged look.
Sorry to send another Keeley pic so soon, but she was sitting in my lap (yes, all 36.5 pounds of her), and I couldn’t resist because I could reach my camera.
There is nothing quite like a middle school musical. Today, we drove down to Olympia to see our granddaughter in the ensemble of her school’s winter musical, “Children of Eden.” Since my grandson was with me and he is on the yearbook staff at the same school, we took a TON of photos. I captured 345 photos, and this one is my favorite because of the lighting and the fact that I got everyone in the cast in the same photo, with my granddaughter right in the center.
As the title suggests, I just visited Costco. We have several shelves in the garage, and I do my best to keep them stocked. Sometimes I go and start organizing items on these shelves, and I discover something that I purchased this time. For example, we have enough toilet bowl cleaner to last us until 2035.
What makes photography a strange invention is that its primary raw materials are light and time. —John Berger
by Jim Bellomo | Jan 26, 2025 | Photography
If you aren’t following my daily pics, here’s the week in review. All of them have captions. I feel like I had a pretty good week. Don’t forget; if you click the first shot, you can scroll through with your arrow keys or by swiping.
This scene is located just behind our development’s clubhouse and offices. A lovely pond sits between the building and the golf course (which is not part of Trilogy). I thought that as the sun began to set, it would make for a nice picture.
I have mentioned that we live in a 55+ community on Redmond Ridge, just outside of Redmond, WA. It’s a large area; I should know how many square miles it spans but I don’t. Suffice it to say we have over 1,500 single-family homes here, all of which are nestled among some of the most beautiful forests you have ever seen. We have miles and miles of trails, which means hidden within those forests are small lakes, ponds, and bogs. This one is located right in the middle of two sets of homes, but we had lived here for more than a year when I was out walking and stumbled upon it. You have to take one of two specific trails to find it. With all the cold weather we have been experiencing, I was hoping to find this lake completely frozen over. Even though nighttime temperatures have dropped below 30°F, the daytime temperatures have been reaching the mid-40s. It’s a completely different situation when it’s frozen, maybe in February. We shall see.
Today, I made a trip into town, which allowed me to take a photo of the Sammamish River flowing out of Lake Sammamish all the way to Puget Sound. I think my favorite part of the shot is the reflection.
In honor of the amazing Aardman Studios receiving an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Film for Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, I present you with the closest I can get to Gromit flying in a plane…in my office. With a little Photoshop magic, he can soar all around our house.
Puzzling, isn’t it? Just going along with our life today, we old people finished a jigsaw puzzle. Appropriately for us, the world travelers, this was one featuring all kinds of maps and travel posters. This mid-century modern seaside hotel was my favorite of the more than 20 spots on the page. I always find these kind of puzzles to be easiest. Large pieces, lots of typography (allowing you to put together words) and individual sections that we can work on alone or together. This one came together quickly.
I had an appointment in Bellevue today, a nearby city, so after I finished, I stopped by the 520 Bridge overlook in Medina. It’s a beautiful day, and I’ve always loved taking photos of this bridge. It is the world’s longest floating bridge; yes, it actually floats on Lake Washington. Kathleen drove this bridge every weekday for more than 10 years to get to work. It connects the Eastside suburbs to downtown Seattle. In the close distance, you can see the University of Washington and the University District. In the far distance are the Olympic Mountains, which are way over on the Olympic Peninsula.
Today was busy, and I nearly forgot to take a photo, so here’s a Nifty-Fifty (50mm f1.4) shot of some bunnies and their shadows. I promise to improve tomorrow.
Sunshine! Sunshine! Sunshine! It’s damned cold but sunny. Keeley and I went for a walk of over 5 miles, and the Cascades looked so stunning in the distance that I had to go back and photograph them after we returned.
Photography can be a way into worlds and memories that words sometimes fail to convey. —Stacy Martin